Just Label It News Roundup 8-31

A new survey has reinforced a point that many that follow agriculture know- many Americans have serious concerns about genetically modified foods. Nearly half of U.S. consumers avoid them, even though many of the concerned consumers know little or nothing about GMO foods. A new report shows cancer-linked herbicide glyphosate, manufactured by Monsanto in their Roundup product, present in 45 products including granola, snack bars and Cheerios. There are now around 8,000 U.S. lawsuits brought against Bayer’s newly acquired Monsanto, as the German drug maker braces for years of legal wrangling over alleged cancer risks of glyphosate-based weed killers. An upcoming glyphosate cases is making the news this week – a French tomato grower with cancer has taken Monsanto to court over the weed killer. A study of more than 1 million pregnancies in Finland reports that elevated levels of a metabolite of the banned insecticide DDT in the blood of pregnant women is linked to increased risk for autism in the children. Another new study, demonstrates that the risks of genetically engineering trees are too great and can never fully be known. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has called upon the Food and Drug Administration should publish its two-year-long review of a cancer-causing chemical found in breakfast foods. Shares of Bayer plunged to a seven-year low due to concerns about the potential costs of a protracted legal battle over Roundup weed killer. General Mills will drop the “Made with 100% Natural Whole Grain Oats” label from its Nature Valley Granola Bars after settling a lawsuit brought by three nonprofit consumer groups alleging that the bars contained weed killer. Wine makers in West Texas are reeling from herbicide drift that damaged their grapevines, an emerging threat to the state’s $13 billion a year industry. Health officials announced Monday, that customers who received free popcorn at a Muscle Shoals, Alabama store Sunday afternoon may have been exposed to an herbicide.

A study of more than 1 million pregnancies in Finland reports that elevated levels of a metabolite of the banned insecticide DDT in the blood of pregnant women are linked to increased risk for autism in the children.

In an apparent effort to allay serious public and scientific concerns about contamination threats from genetically engineered (GE) trees, on Aug. 3 researchers at Oregon State University claimed they had genetically engineered sterility into poplar trees. The real story of the study, however, is that the risks of genetically engineering trees are too great and can never fully be known.

The Food and Drug Administration should publish its two-year-long review of a cancer-causing chemical found in breakfast foods, Sen. Chuck Schumer said Sunday. The chemical, glyphosate, primarily used as a weed killer, was listed as a probable cancer-causing carcinogen by the World Health Organization in 2015.

Shares of Bayer plunged by the most in almost seven years on concern about the potential costs of a protracted legal battle over Roundup weed killer, the cornerstone product of newly acquired Monsanto.

A new survey reinforces what most people in agriculture already know: Many Americans have serious concerns about GMO foods, with nearly half of U.S. consumers avoiding them, even though many of the concerned consumers know little or nothing about genetically modified food.

General Mills will drop the “Made with 100% Natural Whole Grain Oats” label from its Nature Valley Granola Bars after settling a lawsuit brought by three nonprofit consumer groups alleging that the bars contained weed-killer.

The number of U.S. lawsuits brought against Bayer’s newly acquired Monsanto has jumped to about 8,000, as the German drugmaker braces for years of legal wrangling over alleged cancer risks of glyphosate-based weedkillers.

People who got free popcorn at a Muscle Shoals, Alabama, store Sunday afternoon may have been exposed to an herbicide, health officials announced Monday. The herbicide called glyphosate was accidentally mixed in with popcorn oil used at Rural King Store, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health. Officials said anyone who ate the popcorn at the store between 2:30-3:45 p.m. Sunday should contact their doctor or local emergency room if they’re showing any symptoms. Symptoms include increased saliva, burns in the mouth and throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

General Mills is facing a potentially damaging class action lawsuit in the U.S. after a Florida woman accused it of engaging in deceptive business practices, by not alerting the public that their Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios cereals contain the known carcinogen and the world’s most used weedkilller – glyphosate.